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Home My WebLink AboutFD Termination of COVID-19 Local Emergency____________________________________________________________________________________ FOR CITY CLERK ONLY Council Meeting: March 6, 2023 Disposition: Resolution 15193 Agenda Item No: 4.c Meeting Date: March 06, 2023 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Department: Fire Department Prepared by: Richard Diaz Community Disaster Preparedness Coordinator City Manager Approval: _________ TOPIC: TERMINATION OF COVID-19 LOCAL EMERGENCY SUBJECT: RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL TERMINATING THE COVID-19 STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY RECOMMENDATION: Adopt a Resolution terminating the COVID-19 state of local emergency. BACKGROUND: On March 10, 2020 the City of San Rafael City Manager in his role as the Director of Emergency Services, per San Rafael Municipal Code 7.12.020, proclaimed a state of emergency to help better prepare for and respond to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The City Council thereafter, on March 17, 2020, ratified and confirmed the City Manager’s proclamation of the state of local emergency. The state of local emergency allowed the City to, among other things, streamline communication, increase coordination/collaboration among City and County staff, and access different sources of funding. The City Manager/Director of Emergency Services was the authorized City representative for purpose of receipt, processing, and coordination of all inquiries and requirements necessary to obtain available state and federal assistance. These powers allowed more flexible decision making to address urgent needs. Further, this proclamation served as a vehicle to meet the criteria for state/federal disaster funding/reimbursements. In the three years since the Federal government, the State of California and the County of Marin declared a national, state and county-level emergency, respectively, much has been implemented and achieved in a collaborative effort to keep communities better informed, more resilient, and safer from future communitywide infections that may lead to another COVID-19 outbreak. In view of these outcomes and following guidance from public health experts and government stakeholders, the Federal government, the State of California, and the County of Marin are taking steps to officially end the COVID-19 state of emergency. Governor Newsom ended the COVID-19 State of Emergency on February 28, 2023. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2 ANALYSIS: The City of San Rafael has been a strategic partner in the County’s COVID-19 response through close collaboration with the County’s Health and Human Services Department and community stakeholders. Through these partnerships, San Rafael residents have benefited from safer health conditions and gained access to more protective measures to address future COVID-19 infections. The health and safety needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic are now deemed to be within the control of the normal protective services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of and within the City of San Rafael. As a result, staff recommend that the City end the COVID-19 State of Local Emergency. Staff would like to highlight some of the critical response activities since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that contributed to achieving positive community outcomes for the San Rafael community. Here are some examples: • The City operated a virtual Emergency Operations Center (EOC) throughout the pandemic and maintained all essential emergency services, including routine emergency response and incident response to multiple hazardous events such as floods, power shut-offs, etc. • The City Council approved a COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan in June 2020 highlighting the anticipated fiscal impacts of the pandemic and recovery strategies. • Economic Development provided EOC COVID-19 business support during the pandemic, including administering the San Rafael Small Business Disaster Grant program, providing ongoing updates on reopening milestones, vaccine information, and access to capital and federal, state local relief programs. • The City developed programs that helped businesses adapt to COVID-19 reopening protocols including curbside pick-up, parklets/outdoor dining opportunities, consumer health and safety compliance signage. The City also developed such programs to assist community members such as on-line permits, on-line permitting chat (“virtual public counter”), curbside pick-up at libraries, etc. • The Library and Recreation Department created an array of virtual programming including story time and other age-appropriate programs using Facebook Live, YouTube, and Zoom (“virtual community center”). • The Library and Recreation Department partnered with the Marin County Office of Education to provide essential Learning Hubs to San Rafael students in elementary though high school at the Albert J. Boro and San Rafael Community Centers. • The City approved expenditures on non-personnel COVID-19 response operations, including sourcing and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE). • The City narrowed the digital equity gap in San Rafael through the development of the Canal Wi-Fi Network in collaboration with the County of Marin, San Rafael City Schools, and Canal Alliance to provide free access to the internet. • The City's childcare program provided childcare for essential workers through a partnership with the County of Marin, the YMCA, Community Action Marin, and the Marin County Office of Education. • The City partnered with the SF Marin Food Bank to utilize the Albert J. Boro Community Center as a weekly food distribution site. • The City Council adopted an urgency ordinance enacting a temporary moratorium on rent increase for tenants residing in certain residential units in areas most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3 • The City participated in the disbursement of COVID-19 rental assistance to community members at risk of eviction due to COVID-19-related restrictions and job losses. • The City provided resources to minimize impact on people experiencing homelessness, including showers, hand washing stations, portable toilets, mobile testing, and mask distribution. • The City adjusted budget expenditures and sought new revenue streams to maintain short- and long-term fiscal health. • The City developed and implemented remote work practices to assure City services continued while reducing risk to staff and the public. • All City Council meetings were streamed live on YouTube and the hybrid format has been continued allowing both in person and virtual participation. • Code Enforcement completed approximately several hundred Covid-related compliance inspections. • The Sustainability and Volunteer program created an older adult COVID-19 wellness check program co-implemented with the Library and Childcare that was used as a model by the State to develop their Social Bridging program. • In coordination with local partners, establishment of a COVID-19 Canal Working Group and a San Rafael-specific Community Response Team (CRT) to reach underserved/underrepresented community members. • In coordination with local partners, strategic mobilization of community volunteers who supported efforts in food distribution, testing, and vaccination centers and promoted neighbor- to-neighbor preparedness. • In coordination with local partners, ongoing strategic pop-up testing and vaccination sites, including as street closures, established throughout the city to support immunity levels in the community. • In coordination with local partners, ongoing communication campaign to educate community residents on emerging COVID-19 variants and how to remain protected, including the regular “San Rafael is Resilient” e-newsletters. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this item. COVID-19 funding sources for which the City has been eligible are ending due to the termination of the Federal and State emergency declarations. OPTIONS: The City Council has the following options to consider on this matter: 1. Adopt the resolution. 2. Do not adopt the resolution. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt a Resolution terminating the COVID-19 state of local emergency. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Resolution RESOLUTION NO. 15193 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL TERMINATING THE COVID-19 STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY WHEREAS, a local emergency presently exists in the City of San Rafael, in accordance with the proclamation issued by the director of Emergency Services for the City of San Rafael on March 10, 2020, ratified by Resolution of the City Council on March 17, 2020, as a result of conditions of extreme peril to the safety of the community due to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; and, WHEREAS, the situation resulting from said conditions of extreme peril are now deemed to be within the control of the normal protective services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of and within the City of San Rafael. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY PROCLAIMED that the City of San Rafael City Council does hereby proclaim the termination of the COVID-19 state of local emergency, effective March 7, 2023. I, LINDSAY LARA, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of San Rafael, held on Monday, the 6th day of March 2023, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Bushey, Hill, Kertz, Llorens Gulati & Mayor Kate NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None Lindsay Lara, City Clerk